Dear friend,
February was a blast!
The highlight of this month was a trip to Myrtle Beach! The weather was 60 degrees and drizzling but that didn't stop us from anything (excepting getting in the ocean) and we all agreed it was worth it because we felt like we had the entire resort and town to ourselves. Plus, we got to visit the Hawks on our trip, so that's always a win!
Here's a little update on everyone:
Joy: She will only wear dresses or pink leotards. She loves long, flower dresses. She loves to watch shows and knows exactly how to stir things up with her siblings. She loves being a big sister and gets so excited to show off Rose each day at preschool pickup. She is hilarious. She adamantly declares that she will grow up to be a rainbow mermaid. She does not like contention, but also knows how to add drama to any situation. One morning she made Elias breakfast in bed (water, a granola bar and a cheese stick). We have had a hard time with her coloring all over herself (and/or Rose) with markers, because she "had to" because she is a "blue mermaid" or because she is a "red ninja". She frequently announces that only boys will be invited to her birthday party (in June) because girls are "not as fun". She comes and sleeps on the floor in our room every night around 11 or 2. It's exhausting. Her body is just awake from 2-4am each day. She has actually gotten pretty good at not waking us up when she comes in though, so that's a win. She loves preschool and baking. Oh - and one thing that I love about her is how she always refers to "boys" and "girls" as "brothers" and "sisters". Anytime I carry her and Rose at the same time, she calls it our "three sisters trick". She loves to play "nah, nah, you can't get me" with me and Rose. I love how she says "otay" (for "okay") and "I hicking up" (for "I have the hiccups"). She is working really hard on her pronunciation but there are still times I have no idea what she is saying. She often speaks of her great-great-uncle, who apparently wears rainbow clothes and has the same skin and hair color as her; he took care of her all the time when she was a baby and would always wake her up just because he wanted to play with her. Now they like to talk and eat a bowl of Kix together and he let's her do pretty much everything I don't let her do. She loves him. He's not her "best friend" though, just...her "great-great uncle".
Rose: Her first real word was Boyd. She has maybe two dozen words at the moment and will never say them when you ask. Sometimes she will clearly mimic the most random words such as "teacher" or "dirty" but then when you ask her to say them again, she will just laugh at you. She will never wave, kiss, or say anything you ask. Everything is on her timetable. She loves dogs more than any kid I have ever seen. She often (especially when she gets really excited) pretends to be a dog, but her bark is more of a high-pitched squeak. She to loves play "nah, nah, you can't get me" with me and Joy; we play everyday after the big kids leave for school. She's getting good at hide-and-seek. She also loves having her big kids read to her, or chase her. She really loves playing school or family with Joy and Summer. I love it when she says "yep" or "puppy". She loves putting her shoes on and loves every baby and/or baby doll she can find. She is still like a crack addict when it comes to Elias. I know that sounds like I'm being extreme, but really, she insists on being in his arms and throws a fit should he want to play the piano or dare I say, pay attention to anyone else. She ends every dinner on is lap and doesn't give me the time of day if he's in the room. We have to pretend he is walking out the front door if he ever wants a minute to himself. She lasts about ten minutes with him in the car before she starts screaming hysterically for him to hold her hand. I always refuse that he give into her demands until thirty torturous minutes pass and then I relent, peace is restored, and Elias' arm goes numb. I can't believe my dear girl is TWO! Summer made her doggy ears out of a headband and ankle socks and it was a hit! Rose is not afraid of a mess or running into a crowd, she loves savory foods (especially Spicy Nacho Doritos) and looks darling in pigtails. She loves her family fiercely and makes it nearly impossible for me to get anything done! But really...that smile!
Boyd: He has such a tender heart and is learning how to process his big emotions. He is concerned about how the world works, how he will someday protect and provide for his family. He is committed to never spend his money. He is the only one of my children that has sat me down and earnestly asked me to tell the truth about all holiday celebrations. He has managed it all very well and loves to keep the excitement alive. He was so proud to lose his first two teeth (and not just because he could trade each one in for a dollar). He still struggles with trying new food, but he always does in the end. He is learning and I'm so proud of him. Every Monday morning is rough as he realizes he has to return to school, but once the bus comes he is committed. He has a real fire inside of him that I know will be to his benefit when he can control it. (One thing I have to document as I hope we will laugh over it together in the future: one day his punishment was to clean the mudroom; it took him a while to calm down and actually do it. When he finished we talked about it and he admitted that while he cleaned the room beautifully, he also spit into all my shoes.) He takes his piano practice and school work seriously and does a good job doing them on his own. His teacher says he is a model student during structured class time. He has always loved structure. He has taken a real interest in lego knights. He loves playing with legos and/or looking at them online (but again, he always wants to know if the price is reasonable, because they aren't worth looking at if he could never have them, and that means get them as a gift because he certainly wouldn't spend his money on legos). His best way to recharge is quietly playing legos by himself in the craft room. He has really enjoyed art at school and just started reading chapter books. At the beach he dedicated over an hour to finding a shark's tooth. I love his drive and how hard he is willing to work for things.
Smith: This dear boy is half monkey. He is trying to figure out the world in his own way, he doesn't worry about money or logistics, instead he is constantly asking questions like "what is the longest season", "which is the deadliest snake, and "how many kinds of fish are in the sea". He loves reading non-fiction and is constantly sharing new facts about all kinds of animals. He loves the monkey bars in the basement, and his record is doing the entire circuit 15 times in a row without stopping (which, to anyone who has seen the circuit, it truly incredible). He has been really into whittling lately. Unfortunately we don't have a proper whittling knife, so he's just going at a stick with an X-acto knife. He's been following the safety rules so far though. He's also really enjoyed nailing nails and screwing screws into wood. One week he became obsessed with using an ax and didn't stop talking about it until Elias took him into the backyard for an hour-long tutorial/practice session. Smith didn't make the canoe he was planning to make with the ax, but he enjoyed his time. In Myrtle Beach each kid got a day to pick activities and one restaurant we would go to. Smith wanted to eat a crab. Some of the other kids really struggled with trying the seafood and Elias' fingers swelled just touching it, but Smith loved it! Going out to seafood may be something fun for just the two of us. He's lost five teeth now and is doing a great job in school. Unfortunately he had a little accident on his scooter this month, but he is one tough guy.
Summer: Summer continues to amaze me with her crafts and creativity. She has made beautiful valentines and forts this month. One day she made a huge scavenger hunt for the family, complete with a secret code and everything. One day she made this emotion chart for the family. She has developed a fierce love for reading and devours book after book. Like her father, her soul is happiest outdoors. If the weather is even remotely nice, she prefers to do her homework outside. One of her favorite things to do is borrow my phone so she can put on headphones and listen to KidzBop while riding around on her bike. She loves to bike and ride her rollerblades and she is passionate about swimming. She is so dedicated and made the swim team a few months ago. She has practice twice a week, and while I think that's a little overkill, she looks forward to each practice and always comes home in a good mood. She's great about doing her homework and trying her best in school. She won an award for a district-wide art competition. She has a good group of friends at school and they have a little monthly book club they enjoy. She also loves church primary activities. Her testimony is growing and her knowledge of the gospel is expanding.
Elias: I can't believe my dear man is turning 36 in April! He just cleared his last colonoscopy with a clean bill of health and survived surgery on his meniscus. He would like to do another Ultra Spartan in July and again in September, but he is trying to ease back into it slowly. He continues to enjoy painting (but has yet to finish a piece for above our mantel - yes Elias, as you read this, that was a subtle hint. I love you.) He has been playing piano more and has a few beautiful pieces. Country music has really been speaking to his soul lately. Work is going well. There is a lot of potential for him, but things are so different than what they told him when he was interviewing, that Elias is constantly wondering if he is being patient or foolish by staying at the firm. His fund has done amazingly well though so it will all work out either here or somewhere else. I'm so proud of him. He is an amazing person and father. If Rose ever lets him play the piano when she is in the room, she just cries at his feet. He was in South Africa and tried to FaceTime us but the two little girls would see his face on the screen and just start bawling. We are all so blessed to have him as ours. He continues to help me with my personal development; he loves me so completely that I feel like I could do anything. His love doesn't judge me for my mistakes but inspires me to be a better person. I wake up looking forward to our evening talks. He is my favorite person to be with and I can't imagine trying to live life without him. Sometimes when things get crazy, I have to call him at work because just hearing his voice makes me breathe better. I hope all of my children get to experience a love like ours.
Me: I'm really loving life lately. I love being a mom and I have to admit, I'm so grateful to not be pregnant or breast-feeding. I love having my body back to myself. I've been attending a fitness bootcamp three times a week and yoga three times a week and I've really enjoyed it. I take our life management seriously as I prepare our family programs and trips. I love partnering with Elias to live our dream life. We threw our annual Valentine's Date Night and it was a riot. I attached parts of the cards we wrote to each other as part of a game. I set a goal to host a "Mom Recharge" night once a month and so far I think it's been a real success. Right now I am teaching Gospel Doctrine at church and it is a healthy challenge for me. I feel like my gospel knowledge is deepening and while I still have so many questions about some doctrine, I feel like I am more in tune with the spirit and better understanding my Savior's love for me. I've been helping with the school carnival, a PTA fundraiser that is scheduled to happen in May,and I've learned that...PTA is not the place for me. I'm so grateful to those who do it, but I'll pass. When we moved here and I discovered so many stay-at-home moms in our neighborhood I thought I would be able to find my people right here. It didn't quite work out that way, and while I have made some delightful acquaintances, I have had to admit that I am a bit more "peculiar" than I thought. But the ward has been so rich; though we are spread out, there are so many wonderful friends to lean on. Then a few months ago a family with five kids (the same ages as ours) moved in just six minutes away. The mom, Anne and I connect on so many levels and we are able to child-swap and it's made all the difference in the world! I've found a greater need for female connection at this stage of my life, and as always, am so grateful for my mom and sisters.
Love you all,
Brittany et al.
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